"Do as you will."
In his previous life, many had sworn to remember the name Yuder, but none had ever managed to lay a finger on him.
"That... that man, even until the end...! Master! Please, wait!"
The servant, his face stricken with horror, dashed after the Count, who had already turned away, his figure stirring a cold breeze as he strode into the palace. Those who had been watching began to lose interest and dispersed when Yuder showed no reaction.
However, a few lingered, their eyes still fixed on Yuder and Kanna with curiosity. Among them was an old man, who approached Yuder slowly.
"Do you know?" the old man said. "The Gallon family has held their title for seven generations. Their main house sits within the fourth wall—powerful enough to have a seat in the inner sector."
Behind Yuder, Kanna stiffened. Beside the old man stood a frail-looking young man, clearly unsure of how to react. Yuder met the old man's gaze briefly before letting a slow smile curve his lips.
"And what does that have to do with me?"
"Are you not afraid of making a powerful enemy by sheltering your comrade?"
"If I were to put it bluntly," Yuder replied coolly, "I'd say it's the other way around."
"The other way around?"
The old man, with his long white beard and dignified aura, radiated the kind of authority one might expect from the head of a noble family. His traditional attire only added to his imposing presence. Anyone else might have been intimidated by his presence. Yet, Yuder's expression remained completely unfazed.
"You see," Yuder continued, his voice calm but laced with certainty, "he's made a formidable enemy in me."
"Ha! Such confidence." The old man raised a brow, intrigued. "And may I ask what gives you the nerve to say such a thing?"
'Why wouldn't I?'
Yuder replied, a faint smirk playing on his lips. " Of course, I have power."
"..."
The old man's eyebrows twitched slightly, and then, to Yuder's surprise, he burst into hearty laughter, a sound full of admiration.
"Power that transcends status and influence! I would very much like to see this formidable power of yours. I hope your words are not just empty boasts."
With that, the old man patted Yuder's shoulder and turned to the young man who had been anxiously waiting.
"Master," the young man began nervously, "you always say watching a fight is the best part, but why did you get involved here? This is so embarrassing...! Do you realize how late we are? By now, everyone else will have gathered!"
"You fool. What does it matter if we're late? I've seen the most interesting thing here today. How could I walk away from that?" the old man replied, his voice carrying an amused edge.
"But...!"
"Quiet. Lead the way, boy."
Yuder quietly watched the old man and the young man bicker as they disappeared from view. Then, as if waiting for her moment, Kanna spoke up.
"Yuder. Why did you do that?"
Her voice was small, trembling. Kanna was clutching his clothes tightly, her hands shaking. Yuder turned to face her.
"That's the reason, isn't it? Why you didn't want to come here in the first place?"
"Why would you do something like that? You have no idea how tenacious and terrifying that man is! How are we going to handle this now...?"
Instead of offering an immediate answer, a deep sense of despair settled between them, as if the silence itself was his reply.
"I... I'll speak to the Commander," Kanna continued, her voice wavering. "I'll tell him it's not your fault, Yuder. I can resign before the Count returns... Yes, that might work..."
"Resign?"
Yuder turned to her, his voice steady, cutting through her panic.
"Why are you trying to quit the squad?"
"But you heard him! He said he would come after the Cavalry... Aren't you worried?" Kanna asked, her voice filled with disbelief.
"Didn't you hear what the others said? About what kind of person Count Gallon is? He's terrifying. Really, truly terrifying."
Kanna's fear ran deep. What had she experienced to make her so afraid? Yuder gently tapped her shoulder, calming her shaking frame and redirecting her attention to him.
"It's fine. In fact, if he doesn't come, I'll be disappointed. I introduced myself hoping for this."
"What...?"
"It doesn't matter what power his family holds. What I'm more curious about is your story, Kanna. What's your connection to that family?"
Before Kanna could answer, a soft voice interrupted from behind.
"I'm quite curious about that as well. I do wish you'd tell us soon."
Kanna flinched, startled by the newcomer.
"Co-Commander?"
Yuder turned to see Kishiar, clad in a grand purple robe typically worn by court mages, emerging from the shade of the trees. His striking appearance and unusual outfit, concealing his usual white uniform, was one thing—but it was the timing that seemed to catch Kanna off guard. She stammered, her mouth slightly agape.
"When did you... No, why are you dressed like that...?"
Kishiar chuckled softly. "Haha. Don't worry about it."
"Did you finish your conversation with His Majesty? Where did you leave the box and the carriage?" Yuder's voice remained calm, his gaze steady, unfazed by Kishiar's sudden appearance.
Kishiar smirked, shrugging nonchalantly. "You're never surprised, Yuder. It makes things rather dull. The carriage is where we left it, and His Majesty is examining the box. But more importantly, wouldn't you like to discuss this intriguing secret about a squad member that even I didn't know?"
Seeing Kishiar's laughter, Kanna's face turned even paler.
"I... I..."
"Hold on," Kishiar said, interrupting her. "If we talk here, we might draw attention. Come this way. There's a perfect place inside where we can speak."
Leisurely, Kishiar led them into the Black Pigeon office through the main entrance. Despite the number of people moving about, no one recognized or stopped them. As they walked through the crowd, Kishiar suddenly slipped into a narrow space between two buildings.
From the outside, it looked impossibly narrow, but as Yuder and Kanna followed, a path wide enough for a person to walk through appeared, as if by magic. The narrow alleyway had been an illusion, a trick of the overlapping structures and shadows.
When they exited, a small, secluded courtyard lay hidden between the buildings.
"When buildings are constructed and modified over long periods, small unnoticed spaces like this are sometimes created," Kishiar said, glancing around. "No one comes here, so feel free to talk."
Even Yuder, who was quite familiar with the palace's geography, had never seen this spot before. It was remarkable.
"How did you find this place?"
"Forgot, did you?" Kishiar grinned. "I was born and raised here. Exploring the palace was my favorite pastime as a child."
The Imperial Palace extended to the Second Wall, but most of the royal family, including the emperor, lived within the First Wall. It seemed unthinkable that a noble prince would venture beyond that for exploration and play.
It was a staggering answer, yet entirely believable when it came to Kishiar.
"I'm truly sorry, Commander," Kanna spoke at last, her voice trembling. "I didn't mean to cause trouble for the Cavalry or for you. I just... I needed a place to hide."
In the quiet courtyard, Kanna removed her large hat with shaking hands, revealing her face. Bowing deeply, she finally spoke.
"A place to hide... from Gallon House?" Kishiar asked, his voice calm.
Kanna nodded, struggling to get the words out. "Yes. There's no point in hiding it anymore. As you've probably guessed, I lived in Gallon House. Count Hank Gallon would have been my... father, but I never called him that."
Her story wasn't too far from what Yuder had anticipated. Kanna had been born to a maid with whom Hank Gallon had spent a single night. He never acknowledged her as his child, refusing even to give her a name or a family title.
Her mother, given a small sum of money after being dismissed, rented a modest home in the Seventh Wall, raising Kanna alone. But three years ago, when her mother died of illness, Kanna was forced to return to the Gallon household, where she lived not as a daughter, but as a servant, treated with disdain.
"I thought that kind of life was better than being alone... but everything changed after I awakened a year ago."
Kanna's ability was to read the hidden information of objects. One day, while cleaning, she accidentally discovered Count Hank's dark intentions through the objects she touched. He planned to hand her over to another noble—at any age, for his own political gain.
That noble was notorious for his cruelty and despicable behavior, and even though Hank knew Kanna might not survive the encounter, he didn't care. All that mattered to him was the political gain.
The moment she uncovered that horrifying truth, Kanna began to plan her escape.
"At first, I intended to flee the country," she continued. "But then the Cavalry recruitment notice came out… I decided to try my luck, and if I failed, I would leave the Empire altogether."
To her surprise, Kanna had passed—thanks, in part, to Yuder's advice.
"I knew the Count worked at the Imperial Palace," Kanna went on. "I was terrified I'd run into him there. If he saw me, he would definitely recognize me and take me away. But... considering how things turned out ... I thought it would be better to resign before he came looking for me in the Cavalry. ...That's everything."
When Kanna finished, silence fell among the three. The air in the small courtyard grew still, heavy with the weight of her confession.